“The right punch, in the right place, at the right time.”

-Shawn O’Grady, on Larry Holmes

Ray Mercer might have been the hardest hitter in boxing, and certainly had the hardest jab. However, Mercer believed in his power, while Holmes relied on timing and measuring his man for the jab. His strategy worked so well that he was actually able to tease and taunt the younger, stronger man.

When he backs into the corner and says to Mercer, “I ain’t Tommy Morrison,” [a recent Mercer KO victim] and toyed with Mercer. The people watching the fight knew what was about to happen.

Holmes has a shitty vertical hook, but a good vertical shovel hook that looks like a short jab. Note the technique he does with the heel of his hand, holding Mercer at bay. This is an old time technique called “measuring.” In the modern game this is a foul. But, if you don’t let it turn into a clinch and don’t rake the guy’s eyes with the tape around the wrist [it used to be “the laces”] the ref usually won’t call you on it.

Holmes’ time and measure is so good he does not have to raise his hands, which is something older fighters resort to when their shoulders are blown. He also uses the ropes [terrain] to his advantage. Mercer is holding his gloves too close together.

Note how Holmes moves his head to the left, bringing his shoulder in line with his target, as that goon Mercer is looping his punches and using arm strength, diminishing his power and stamina. You survival fighters, all you have to remember is what Holmes does in the corner, hold that left hand up as a shield or extended as a measuring stick, then step off line and sink the rear hand down the middle.

This fight is a master work—imperfect like most high art—by a fading champion, and I loved it.

At 22:36 Holmes throws a thumb up jab without full extension and sinks his ass into a follow up straight right. This should be in every tall man’s arsenal [Sean, Armando]. 20 seconds before this he used a rear hand measure, laying his rear wrist on Mercer’s lead shoulder to check a possible hook and guard against a cross.

Note how Mercer hits the head. Look, in MMA or bare-knuckle, that is worse than useless, and is not getting it done here, because Holmes is watching the shots coming and bracing his neck and rolling his weight.

For the psychological angle, listen to Holmes’ commentary in the interviews. I will cover the key rounds below.

Round five is the turning point with Holmes taunting Mercer into the corner and feeding him vicious uppercuts and nasty body shots. Not how, when close, he keeps his elbows in and does not turn the shoulder over but keeps his fist thumb up, moving his head off line and leaving one of his shoulders in the target zone.

At 31:54 Holmes is backing up, then measures, assured that Mercer is leaning into the upcoming straight right, he sinks it in, and then torques into a text book uppercut. This is how tall man should throw uppercuts.

34:00 in Holmes gives a clinic on the looping rear hand, using it in a short loop around a static high guard, and measuring with the lead. The lead does not have to touch the target. Think of it this way. The way Mercer is punching is like a rifleman firing without using his sights, while Holmes is not only using his sights he is adjusting to account for variables.

Around 34:40 Holmes throws a vertical shovel hook to the head, that is very sweet and is almost indistinguishable from a vertical jab, other than the hip torque instead of the step.

Let’s call this round “walking the dog’ as Holmes thoroughly domesticates Mercer without a leash.

At 36:00 Holmes begins using his rear hand to “stop’ punches, pawing off Mercer’s probing hands. This was a very common old time tactic and formed the basis for Jack Johnson’s success.

At almost 39:00 Homes throws a power jab, which mercer ducks, and then he jabbed down on the half beat and put his calves behind it. At 40:15 Homes sinks a beautiful right, notice his head position, and the fact that he follows up with a stiff arm. A lighter weight fighter would pop out a vertical jab, but with big man the stiff arm is usually best. At the end of the round notice how Holmes is pumping vertical jabs with his foot between Mercer’s feet.

At 44:30 the beating commences with tight vertical fist [thumb up] rights, which is how you want to throw your rear hand late, especially against a strong hooker.

Other than being a jab and check clinic, Holmes shows some nasty body work under Mercer’s left arm. Conventional wisdom is to hit the body early. But cracking a man to the ribs when he’s is finally gathering steam at the end of a hard fight is the best use of the straight body punch. Notice how Holmes, very tired by this point, follows his jab with a shoulder butt. And, most importantly, throws the last punches of the fight.